The process of preparing wells drilled in subterranean formations, such as hydrocarbon production wells, often includes cementing the well. Known techniques for well cementing protect and seal the wellbore. Cementing may be used to seal the annulus between the wellbore wall and casing in the wellbore. Cementing may also be used to plug portions of a well, including for the purpose of abandonment, to seal a lost circulation zone, etc.
Cement powder may be mixed with water on-site to provide cement slurry or, less preferably, mixed with water off-site and transported to the well site. Cement slurry pumped into a wellbore, such as into the annulus, displaces fluids in the wellbore and replaces them with cement. A wide variety of additives may be included in the cement slurry to provide desired time for setting the cement, density, viscosity, strength, etc. Additives may be liquid or solid. Liquid additives use additional personnel and equipment for storage, handling, and dosing into cement slurry and increase the complexity of a cementing job compared to solid additives. Unfortunately, some additives are only available in liquid form. Accordingly, additives suitable as solid replacements for known liquid additives are desirable. Solid additives may be mixed with cement powder before transport to a well site and do not use extra personnel or equipment at the site, resulting in economic savings.